Wrapping machine



5 w40 w. B. BRONANDER WRAPPING MACHINE Original Filed July 11,'1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 5, i940.

W. B. BRDNANDER WRAPPING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July ll, 1956 H LUHrI. UUUH ATTORNEYS f Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE Original application July 11, 1936, Serial No. 90,091. Divided and this application April 24,

1939, Serial No. 269,622

s claims. (c1. aa- 2) This invention relates to wrapping machines.

The invention has for its salient object to provide a machine for wrapping articles that is simple and practical in construction, comprises few parts and will rapidly, effectively and eiliciently wrap the articles or packages.'

Another object of the invention is to provide a, machine of the character described having the paper feed, cutting mechanism and folding and wrapping mechanism so relatively constructed and arranged that the machine can be easily and quickly adjusted for use in wrapping packages of different sizes.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification taken in connection with the drawings which form a part of this application, andy in which Fig. l is a top plan view somewhat diagrammatic of a machine constructed in accordance g with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken substantially on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken substantially on line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional elevation showing the delivery end of the first conveyor and the receiving end of the second conveyor for conveying the article and wrapper through the wrapping mechanism; y

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating a slightly modified form of. the invention;

Fig. 6 ls a plan view of the form of feeding member used on the first feeding mechanism shown in Fig. 5;

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are perspective views showingthe article and wrapper in three different positions of wrapping operation; and

Fig. 10 is an elevational view showing the gearing for driving the paper feed rollers.

The invention briey described consists of a wrapping machine comprising three successively acting feeding and folding mechanisms.

The wrapper is fed in the form of a paper strip or web across the path of movement of the article and is fed at such a rate and severed at such a point in the cycle of operation that it is held by the feeding means as the sheet or web is folded across the top, advance end and bottom of the article. The cutting mechanism cuts the". strip or web when the proper length has been fed.

'The article'and wrapper are fed by endless feeding members along the initial table or support to the second support. The article and wrapper are then fed by endless feeding means along the second support and .during their passage along this support tucks are placed in the advance ends of. the wrapper and the ends are folded across the ends of the article. The second feeding mechanism may be speeded up to operate at a faster rate of speed than the first feed so as 5 to take the article and wrapper away from the first feeding mechanism.

The article and wrapper are then discharged from the second support to a third table or -support. They are initially fed along this support by 10 a reciprocating feeding member and are then engaged and fed by continuously acting feeding members. During the movement along the third support the rear ends of the wrapper are tucked and are folded across the rear end of the article, thus completing the wrapping operation.

In the particular form of the invention shown the last named support and feeding means are disposed at right angles to the first two supports and feeding means. There is substantially no interruption in the operation and one set of feeding means takes hold as soon as the article and wrapper have been delivered thereto by the preceding feeding means. In the form of. the invention shown in Fig. 2 there is no interruption between 2li the rst feeding operation and the second feeding operation.

Further .details of the invention will appear from the following description. This application .is a. division of application Ser. No. 90,091, filed July 11, 1936.

In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, there are three sets of operating mechanism which operate successively on the article and wrapper. Furthermore, there are three supports or tables along which the article and wrapper are fed. The rst supporting table is shown at A, the second at B and the third at C. It will be noted that the support or table C is disposed at right angles to the supports A and B. Thesup- 40 port A comprises two sections 30 and 3| which are separated bya gap or space 32.

The articles X to be wrapped are disposed in a I hopper 33 which extends above the support A and has openings 3l and 35 adjacent the support at the bottom of, the hopper.

The articles X are fed from the hopper along the support by a plurality of spaced feeding members or cross rods 36 carried by a pair of endless feeding members, such as belts or chains 31 and 38.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the rods or feeding members 36 engage the rear edges of the articles successively and feed the articles through the u opening 35 and along the section 30' of the support A.

The chains 31 and 38 arev supported on sprockets 39 carried by a shaft 40 mounted on a frame 4| and on sprockets 42 carried by a shaft 43. Shaft 43 is driven by a gear connection 44, 45 from a shaft 46 which in turn has mounted thereon a pulley 41 driven from any suitable source of power. y

Paper feed mechanism The paper for the wrappers, which in this instance may be wax paper or a heat sealing paper marketed under the trade name cellophane, is mounted inl the supply roll S carried by brackets 60 formed on frame members 6I.l The frame members 6| also have mounted thereon a pair of feed rolls 62 and 63. The rol'l 62 is rotatable on a fixed spindle 64 and the roller 63 is mounted on a spindle 65 carriedby pivoted links 66 pivoted at 61 in the frame members 6|. A spring 68 presses the roll 63 toward the roll 62 to maintain the desired feeding pressure between the rolls.

'Ihe paper feed rolls are driven from a shaft 10 on which the rotary cutting knife'is mounted, as hereinafter described, by means of the gearing shown in Fig. 10. From this gure lt will be noted that a gear 1| mounted on the shaft 10 meshes with a gear 12 carried by an arm -13 pivoted on the shaft 64. This shaft, on which is mounted the roll 62,.has secured thereto a gear 14 which meshes with a gear 15 mounted on the shaft 65 which carries the feed roll 63.

The arm 13 can be adjusted about the axis of the shaft 64 to permit different sizes of gears to be used in the place of the gear 1|, thus varying the speed of rotation of the feed rolls and the rate and lengthsof paper fed thereby. The arm 13 is held in adjusted position by means of a nut or bolt 16 which passes through an arcuate slot 11 formed in the upper end 18 of the arm.

Paper cutting mechanism The paper `.cutting mechanism comprises a rotary knife 80 carried by an arm 8| fixed to the shaft 10 and a stationary knife 82 which is ad. justable toward and away from the axis or shaft 10 by means of a screw 83.

'Ihe rotary cutting knife 80 and shaft 10 are driven by a sprocket and chain connection 8|', 82 and 83' from shaft 46. It will also be evident that the cutting of the paper must be properly timed with reference to the feeding of the article in order to feed the paper to the desired extent through the gap or slot 32 between the sections 30 and 3| of the support A. The paper should be so fed and severed that as the article ,engages the paper and feeds the paper forwardly on the support section 3| the free ends of the paper will properly overlap the rear end of the article.

As the article and wrapper are fed over the support 3| they will be disposed beneath a top wall which is adjustably mounted above the support 3| and operates to hold the wrapper down against the upper surface of the article.

The'paper feed, article feed and cutter feed are so timed that the article will engage the lengths.

The article and wrapper are fed by the feeding members 36 between the walls 3| and |00 and across the support or table section 3| and alle" discharged thereby to the second support or table B. This support or table comprises a pair of spaced supports |02 and |03 which are connected to and project inwardly from side walls |04 and |85 carried by brackets |06 and |01; The brackets |06 and |01 are adjustably mounted on the frame members 4I and are adjustable toward and away from each other by right and left hand screws |08 and |09 formed on spindles |l0, ||0. These spindles are connected by sprocket f and chain connections IIZ, ||3 and one of the spindles has secured thereto a crank |I4 by means of which the spindles can be rotated. As these spindles are rotated the side walls |04 and and the spaced supports |02 and |03 are moved toward and away from each other. The top wall |00 above described extends above the support B as well as above the support A.

The walls |04 andl |05 have formed at the entrance end thereof tuckers II5, ||5 which tuck the advance edges of the wrapper against the ends of the article, one of the advanced edge tucks being shown at ||6 in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. Above the tuckers are formed slots I|1 which receive the upper projecting end naps or folds and below the tuckers are formed slots I8 which receive the lower projecting end flaps or folds. The upper slots ||1 are formed between the upper edges of the tuckers I I5 and the lower edges of adjustably mounted pieces IIS having inclined upper edges |20 which engage inclined supports |2| and are adjustable relative thereto, being secured in adjusted position by nuts |22. 'I'his adjustment is made to provide for different thicknesses of articles being wrapped.

|23 which are formed between lower edges |24 of the side walls |04 and |05 and the upper edges |25 of the tuckers ||5. As the upper end folds travel through the slots ||1 and downwardly through the' slots |23 they will be folded downwardly and inwardly against the ends of the article. After this fbld has been completed'the lower projecting end folds or naps engage the upwardly inclined slots |26 and are folded thereby upwardly and inwardly against the downwardly folded end flaps. After these end flaps have been folded against the ends of the article the article is fed between the heaters |30 which cause the wax in the wax paper to be softened, .l

|31 and |38. Sprocket |31 is mounted centrally on shaft 46 and sprocket |38 is mounted on shaft |39. The chain |36 and feeding members |35 al The slots I1 lead to downwardly inclined slots are disposed above the support B and as theyA start their feeding movement the members |31 and bend it downwardly, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. 'Ihe upper wall or plate |00 is slotted to receive the feeding members |35. The feedIng members are relatively narrow and extend over a comparatively narrow width of the flap and thus this iiap can readily snap up when released by the feeding members.

From the foregoing description it will be noted that as the articles and wrappers are fed over the support B the front end tucks will be placed in the wrapper and-the end flaps will be folded across the ends of the wrapper and -sealed in folded position by the operation of the heaters. At this stage in the operation the wrapper has been folded in the manner shown in Eig. '1.

lll

'will (lll The final feed operation of the feeding members discharges the article and wrapper in the form shown in Fig. 8 to the third support C which, as shown in Fig. 1, is disposed at right angles to the supports A and B. The support C has a side wall which forms an abutment for the article and wrapper and engages the closed edge |5| of the wrapper. A top plate |48 is adjustably supported above the support C and can be vertically adjusted, as shown at |49 in Fig. l. The free ends of the wrapperyproject laterally from the other edge of the article, as shown in Fig. 1. i

The article and wrapper are fed along the support C by means of spaced feeding members |52 carried by an endless carrier |53 mounted on sprockets |54 and |55 carried by spindles |56 and |51. The spindle or shaft |56 is driven by a bevel gear connection |58, |59 to the shaft 43 It has been found that the operation of the endless feeding members |53 and members or lugs |52 at high speed causing the lugs to engage against the sides of the article, tends to dent in the article and damage the package and for this reason the lugs |52 do not engage and feed the article and wrapper. immediately after it has been deposited on the support C. They are, however, fed by a reciprocating feeding mechanism illustrated particularly in Fig. 3. In this figure there is shown an arm |90 having an angular head on the front end thereof consisting of an upper plate |9| adapted to engage over the top of the article and a rear plate |92 adapted to engage along the rear side of the article. The arm |90 is reciprocated back and forth on the support C and is so timed as to engage and feed the articles after they have been deposited on the support by the feeding member |35, hereinafter described. At its rear end the arm |90 is pivoted at |93 to the upper end of a lever |94 which is mounted -on a fixed pivot |95 and is provided intermediate its ends with a roller |96 disposed in engagement with a cam |91 mounted on the shaft |56. A spring |98 engages the upper surface of the arm |90 and holds the front end of the arm or head in engagement with the table or support C.

From the showing in Fig. 3 it will be seen that I as the shaft |59 and cam |9'l rotate the lever |99 will be oscillated about its pivot |95 and will reciprocate the arm |99 and the feeding head formed on the front end thereof. A suitable spring, as shown, is provided to press the arm |99 to the left viewing Fig. 3 in order to maintain the roller |96 in engagement with the cam A|9l. The cam |9'l is so designed that the initial movement of the article and wrapper along the support C will be relatively slow, but this movement becomes more rapid as the article is fed and at the limit of the feeding movement of arm |99 the article and wrapper are moving at approximately the speedof movement of the lugs |92.

The irst operation performed on the support C is to place the end tucks |90 and in the Wrapper at the rear ends of the wrapper. The end tuck itl is placed therein by a'stationary tucker |92 disposed above the support C at the side thereof opposite the wall |59.

The end tucks are formed by rotating tucker members which are formed on a disk |00 mounted on a spindle |6l to which is secured a sprocket |68 driven by the chain |53.

The free ends |410 and |05 of the wrapper are folded inwardly against the rear end of the article by the operation of slots |10 and |1| which operate in the same manner as the slots shown in Fig. 2. It will be noted that the upper end |45 is first folded downwardly and inwardlyl Aabove thev upper surface of the article forming a tab.

With the feed above support B it will be noted that there is no pause in the feed between the supports A and B, kthe feed being continuous. From the showing at the right hand end of Fig. 2 it will be seen-that the upper flap |45 or upper free end of the wrapper snaps up. as soon as the feeding member |35 has finished its feeding operation and moved upwardly away from the article and wrapper. The rotary tucker |65, moreover, insures the proper positioning of the upper flap |45 since the tucker bends the flap upwardly in case it has not already snapped up.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in' Fig. 5 the upper conveyor 200 overlaps the delivery end of the lower conveyor 20|. The conveyor 200 is driven at a faster rate than the conveyor 20|, by any suitable driving connections i and thus moves the article and wrapper away from the feeding member 202 on conveyor 20| and prevents member 202 from snapping the lower flap downwardly as the member 202 moves downwardly.

Members 202 may be formed as shown in Fig. 6 to engage the end of or rear edge of the article between the end edge portions of the wrapper.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that simple, practical and efficient wrapping mechanism has beenprovided and that the articles will be quickly or rapidly fed through the machine and wrapper by the folding and wrapping mechanism described. Furthermore, there is practically no interruption to the feed of the articles through the machine Although certain specific embodiments of th invention have been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is capable of modification and that changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. In combination, a support, means. for continuously feeding an article and wrapper along said support, with the ends of the wrapper extending rearwardly from the article and alined with the upper and lower surfaces of the article, a second support alined with but spaced from the first support for receiving the article and wrapper from the rst support, continuously operating feeding means disposed above the second support and movable downwardly to engage the wrapper and article and feed the article and wrapper continuously along the second support, said last named feeding means engaging the rearwardly 'extending upper flap and bending said ap against the rear of the article during the feeding movement, the bent flap being adapted to snap up when released, and means associated with said supports for folding the wrapper around the article and for folding the lateral edges of the wrapper against the sides/of the article during its feedingmovement;

2. In a wrapping machine, a support, continuously acting means engageable with the rear ends of articles at a point between the upper and lower surfaces of the article and between the sides of the article for feeding articles to be wrapped along said support, means for feeding a paper sheet across the path of movement of the articles, a second support adapted to receive the articles and wrappers from the rst support, means associated with the first support for engaging and folding the wrapper around the bottom, advance end and top of the article with upper and lower flaps extending rearwardly therefrom, continuously acting means disposed above the second support and movable downwardly into engagement with the upper rear flap to bend the flap against the rear end of the article and feed the article and wrapper along the second support, said last 'named feeding means during its feeding engagement being disposed above the point of engagement of the first feeding means, and means associated with the second support for folding the wrapper against the sides of the article.

3.v In combination, a support, feeding means ments and successively acting feed members carried thereby for feeding an article and wrapper along said support, with the ends of the wrapper extending rearwardly of the article, a second support alined with and disposed in the plane of said rst support, and feeding means including continuously acting endless feeding elements and successively acting feeding members carried thereby, for feeding the -articles and wrappers along said second support, said feeding members being relatively narrow: and engaging and bending downwardly the central portions of the upper rearwardly extending ends of the wrappers, the

' said ends snapping up when released from the feeding members, said last named feeding means overlapping said first support and being driven at a faster rate of speed than said first named f feeding means and operating to move the article and wrapper away from the first feeding means, thereby preventing the first feeding means from bending the lower flap as said first feeding means moves out of operation.

4. In combination, a support, continuously acting feeding means for feeding an article and wrapper along said support, with the ends of the wrapper extending rearwardly from the upper and lower surfaces of the article, a second support alined with and disposed in the plane of said first support, continuously acting feeding means for feeding the articles and wrappers along said second support, said last named feeding means overlapping said rst support and being driven at a faster rate of speed than said first named feeding means and including members engageable with `the central portion of the upper rearwardly extending wrapper end and adapted -to bend said end downwardly against the article, and means associated with said supports for folding the wrapper around the article and for folding the lateral edges of the wrapper against the sides of the article during' its feeding movement, said feeding means being so arranged and so timed as to continuously feed the article and wrapper along said two supports and through the wrapping mechanism.

5. In a wrapping machine, a support, continuously acting means engageable with the rear ends of articles at a point between the upper and lower surfaces of the article and between the sides of the article for feeding articles to be wrapped along said support, means for feeding a paper sheet across the path of movement of the articles, a second support adapted to receive the articles and Wrappers from the'iirst support, means associated with the first support for engaging and folding thefwrapper around the bottom, advance end and top of the article with upper and lower flaps extending rearwardly therefrom, continuously acting means disposed above the second support and movable downwardly into engagement with the upper' rear ap to bend the flap against the rear end of the article and feed the article and wrapper along the second support, said last named feeding means during its feeding engagement being disposed above the point of engagement of the first feeding means and operating at a faster rate of speed than lthe rst named feeding means, whereby the article and wrapper are moved away from the rst feeding means and said first named feeding means will not bend the lower flap as said feeding means moves out of operation.

` WILHEIM B. BRONANDER. 

